About the time Ralph Klein was thinking of leaving his job as a radio and TV personality (CFCN) to run for mayor of Calgary, the Toronto Sun was taking over the Calgary Albertan.

The feeling in Calgary — Alberta even — was that Klein’s run for elected office in 1980 was another indication of his eccentricity. (The Sun, too, some thought.)

We at the Calgary Sun drew parallels with Paul Rimstead who had (in)famously run for mayor of Toronto in 1972 against Tony O’Donohue (the favourite), David Rotenberg (the Sun’s choice), and late-starter David Crombie, who ended up winning.

Rimstead came in a respectable fourth by bringing up issues that most politicians shy away from. In many minds, he influenced Crombie’s campaign, which began bringing up issues that were often deemed politically incorrect. To this day, Crombie as mayor is recalled with wistful affection.

Klein, as it turned out, was no shot in the dark like Rimmer.

In short, he was a brilliant mayor, winning three straight elections before running for the provincial legislature as a Conservative in 1989.

By 1992, the PCs were slipping, the Liberals rising, and Klein replaced Don Getty as premier. For 14 years, he held the job — rarely dodging controversy, often in hot water, and ever popular among Albertans.

For those interested in such things, Klein was somewhat mindful of Rob Ford who became Toronto mayor with council’s virulent left-wing opposing him at every turn. While Klein had more smarts than Ford, both were from the “people,” and both took aim at profligate spending.

Both were rich fodder for cartoonists. At first, Klein was seen as something of a joke, as was Ford, until it was realized the people identified with his blunt honesty and passion to reduce spending, cut costs and curb corruption.

Albertans are perhaps more down to earth than Torontonians, and Calgary doesn’t have a loony left on council that loots the till.

Klein’s policies balanced Alberta’s budget two years ahead of schedule. He managed the seemingly awkward job of being “liberal” on many social issues, but “conservative” on money matters and people (and provinces) living within their means.

Klein died Friday suffering from dementia and pneumonia. It’s rare that a politician who never dodged standing up for his beliefs, was so addicted to speaking his mind, who readily admitted error, was replete with human frailties, became so beloved by those he left behind.

Sure, Klein liked more than the occasional drink — and didn’t pretend otherwise. His style was to acknowledge his flaws, and soldier on. People — voters — recognized this and forgave him.

In fact, Klein made Alberta Canada’s richest province, and at one stage ordered a $400 rebate to every citizen of Alberta.

He was a curious combination of conservative and liberal — something that gets blurred today. There is no reason why someone who supports abortion, or same-sex marriage, or believes in God or doesn’t believe in God, cannot be a conservative. Or is automatically a liberal.

The conservatism of Ralph Klein hinged on money, accountability, living within one’s means, and not running up impossible debt that future generations must pay. What applies to individual lives, also applies to provinces.

Klein would not approve of U.S. President Barack Obama putting his country in hock. As Don Martin of the National Post put it: “The true tragedy of Ralph Klein’s passing is that we may not see the likes of him again.”

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